Variable-speed mechanism



July 5 194.8 c. H. RICHARDSON 2,444,470

VARIABLE SPEED AMECHNSM med Feb. ze, 1944 s sheets-'sheet 1 IJuly 6, l948 H. RICHARDSON 2,444,470

VARIABLE SPEED MECHANISM Filed Feb. ze. 1944 s sheets-sheet 2 July 6, 1948. c. H. RICHARDsoN 2,444,470

' l VARIABLE SPEED uEcHANIsm l .Filed Feb. 28, 1944 v s sheets-sheet s 'Pnsniea July s, im

VARIABLE-SPEED MEcnANisM Charles 11. Richardson, Great Neck, N. Y., as-

`signor to The Sperry Corporation, a corpora-A ionoi Delaware Application February 28, 1944, Serial No. 524,305.

vii' claim. (ci. 74-193) This invention relates generally to variable speed mechanisms of the friction drive type, and particularly concerns the positioning and guiding of one or more ballsfor transmitting motion bctween two rotary members.

' Variable speed mechanisms of this type have usually consistedof a circular driving member,

a cylindrical driven member, and one or more balls retained between these members by a carriage movable radially of the driving member to vary the speed ratio of transmitted motion. Devices of this character have usually been constructed with the centers of the balls in a line through the axis of the output drum or cylinder and perpendicular to the surface of the circular driving member. Frequently tworollers are arranged to engage eachof the balls to restrain them in a plane normal to the axis of the output cylinder; this requires four guide rollers in a. carriage for guiding two balls.

The balls are usually restrained from movement along the axis of the output cylinder by lbuttons or guide rollers arranged to engage the balls at the poles of the axes of normal rotation. Frictional engagement between the balls has been frictional engagement with the balls.

Unless the guide rollers for each ball are arl ranged `to fit snugly, play may be introduced which will destroy the exactness required in the operation of the mechanism. For this reason, it has been necessary to provide a precision iit of the guide rollers to each of the balls.

It is usually desirable to arrange the balls to contact the circular driving member along a radial line. To accomplish this, the output cylinder must have its axis aligned with the axis and the selected radial line of the driving member. This alignment of the axes has required precision manufacture and assembly with small machine tolerances.

In use, variable speed mechanisms of this type have :been subject to wear 4due to the frictional contact of the members and balls. This wear removes the original precision i'lt of the members and introduces play into the mechanism which affects its accuracy particularly over sustained periods of operation. Furthermore, eficiency of operation has been curtailed by the friction of four guide rollers for each ball in the carwhen the mechanism is driven for any length oi -tlme with the ball carriage in one position.

These factors have made it difficult to service the mechanisms after they are put into use, although the necessity for servicing is aggravated by the excessive wear and low eihciency. Further, the dilculties in assembly and precisioniitting required a major overhaul rather than replacement of parts, in order to service the equipment.

`It is a major object of this invention to provide a variable speed mechanism having parts that the assembly and increase the eiilciency of variable speed mechanisms by reducing the number of guide rollers required in the ball carriage.

A further object of the invention is to eliminate' the exactness formerly required in the alignment of the axes of the members and the centers of the balls byl offsetting the balls on opposite sides of a line joining their points of contact.

A further object of the invention is to increase the accuracy of variable speed mechanisms, particularly to sustain accuracy over long periods ot operation by having a construction providing resilient pressure for movable parts to compensate for wear.

A more specific object of the invention is to reduce wear at the poles of the normal axis of rotation of the balls by arranging a pair of angularly disposed guide rollers at opposite sides of a plane deilned by the centers and points of contact of y each of 'the offset balls.

Another specific object of the invention is to provide a variable speed mechanism having a pair of balls interposed between driving and driven members with their centers offset transversely of the axis of rotation of the driven member and spring pressed to maintain frictionalengagement between the balls and members, regardless of wear.

A further speciilc object of the invention is to provide a simplified variable lspeed mechanism in which the driving member is supported in one riage, Wear has been'evident at the point where part of a housing and the driven member in another, the two parts being connected by a fulcrum joint and spring pressed to maintain frictional engagement.I between the balls and the members.

A further object of the invention is to provide rollers mounted independently of the ball carguide roller that exerts pressure on one of the balls to maintain said i'rictional engagement.

extend'along the path of A esaltano il, which is, for reasons that will subsequently appear, arranged to avoid intersection with the axis of rotation of the disc I3.

A still further object oi the invention is to provide a lvariable speed mechanism having a rotate a driven member at a variable speed, the two members being connected to theinput elements of a diierential whereby the output element oi the diiierential is rotated in a direction and at a speed dependent upon the diierencebe 'conically-shaped driving member operating to Y will become apparent from the following speciiimechanism shown in Fig. 1, with the lower part of the two-part housing removed and some parts broken away for purposes of clearness;

Fig.- 3 is a perspective view of the operating parts Iof the mechanism shown in Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 4 is a top plan View of a modied variable speed mechanism lembodying the invention and having a conically-shaped driving member;

Fig. 5 is a cross section of the variable speed mechanism shown inFig. 4;

- Fig.' 6 is a top plan view of a further modied variable speed mechanism embodying the invention; Fig. 7 is a cross section of the variable speed mechanism shown in Figf;

. Fig. 8 isa vertical section taken along the line l-I of Fig. 7; and

Fig. 9 is a vertical section taken along the line 3--9 of Fig. 7.

According to the present invention, a pair of balls are arranged in irictional engagement between a rotary driving member and a cylindrical A pair of balls 22 and 23'are arranged in frictional engagement with each other. 'I'he ball 22 engages the disc i3 along a radial line that is parallel. to the axis oirotation oi! the cylinder il. .The ball 23 completes the friction drive from the` ball '22 to the cylinder i3 and has its center oii'set withrespect to the' center of the ball 22 in aplane normal to the axis of rotation of the cylinder il, that is, the centers of the balls are oii'set transversely of the axis of rotation of the cylinder il.

These balls are. movable along a path parallel t0 the axis of the cylinder il as by a ball carriage 23 having side members 2i and 28 arranged on opposite sides of the balls. A rail 21 carried by the casing part Il supports the ball carriage for translatory movement by engagement of V-rollers 28 and 2l and roller 28. which are held in position by the action of tension spring 3l. The ball carriage 2l is controlled in itsV movement'by turn-` ing,r a shaft 3| that rotates pinion 32, meshing with rack 33 on the ball carriage to translate the balls radially of the disc I3 in the direction of the axis 'of rotation of the cylinder I8. Rotation of the ball carriage about the rail 21 is prevented by a shroud 23! that is pressed by compression spring 232 to hold the rack 33 against a collar 233 on the shaft 3i.

In order to restrain the balls from movement laterally of the direction of movement of the ball carriage, that is, in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the cylinder I8, a pair of guide rollers 3S and 31 extend along the .path 'of movement of the balls 22 and 23 and are journaled in thel part il of the casing for rotation about axes parallel to the axis of rotation of the cylinder I8 and the path of movement of the balls. The roller 36 engages the ball 22 so it is held in position against movement in a plane transversely of the axis of rotation of the cylinder I8 by forces acting from three directions, namely, by the disc i3, the cylinder 3S and the ball 23. Similarly,

the ball 23 is restrained by forces acting from three directions, namely, those forces exerted by the cylinder i8, the ball 22 and the guide roller 31.

With .this arrangement of the balls oiset transversely of the axis of rotation of the cylinder iBjonly two guide rollers are required to restrain movement of the balls in a plane perpendieular -to that axis, whereas four rollers had previously been required for this purpose. As pointed out above, this arrangement facilitates manufacture and assembly of the mechanism,

. increases eiic'iency by reducing frictional losses, and, as will appear, compensates for wear to ing and driven members, or on the guide rollers i for the balls. The two guide rollers may be carried c by thelball carriage or extend parallel to the path along which the balls move .to vary the speed ratio of 'transmitted motion.

.The variable speed `mechanism shown in Figs. v

i to 3A inclusive has a housing consisting of two parts. i i and i 2 the latter of which carries la Vdrive,

ing'memberfin the form of a disc i3, that is supported in abearing' i3 for `rotation'as by shaft l that-,is journaled jat irland 2i in the easing part maintain accuracy over sustained periods of operation.

From the. description and illustration of the mechanism shown in Figs. 1 -to 3 inclusive, it will b e-apparent that the balls and the members are arranged so a plane. defined by the axis of rotation of the disc I3 and the center of the ball 22 is parallel to a plane dened-by the axis of rotation of the cylinder I8 and the center of the vball 23. These planes are oiiset Ytransversely i of the axis of rotation of the cylinder I8 due to the transverse onset of the centers of the balls 22 and 23. For'this reason, the axes of rotation for the disc i3 and the cylinder il do not intersect,vsince they are not contained in a common plane. x

s A pair of adjustable pointed bolts 4| and 42 are carried by a lip 43 on the lower portion of the part II of the housing to engage the part |2 of the housing and form a fulcrum joint between the two parts II-and I2. Another pair of adjustable bolts 45 and 48 are mounted in the side of the part II to engage the edge of part I2 when the two parts are itted together.

As may be seen mostA clearly in Fig. 1, .the two parts II and I2 are pivoted about the points of bolts 4I and 42 -to adjust the relative positionsV of the driving and driven members. These parts are continuously pressed toward each other by a bolt 41 connecting the two parts and ,exerting pressure on them by the action of a compression spring 48 against nut 49 and washer 5|. Ad Justment of the nut 5| and bolt 41 .v aries the amount of pressure exerted by the spring 48.

Since the cylinder I8 is carried by one part II of the casing and disc I3 is carried by the other part I2, pressure on the two parts causes the ret 8 put shaft of the variable speed mechanism is always driven in the same direction and it is unnecessary to reverse this direction in order to reverse the direction oi' rotation of the output gear 88 to' an input gear 88 of differential 1|,

spective members to exert pressure on the balls and maintain them in frictional engagement. Although the guide rollers or members are subject towear, this wear is compensated by the continuous pressure exerted by spring 48 through the two parts and I2 of the housing. Since the balls are oi'set transversely of the axis of the cylinder I8, any wear is compensated by movement of the disc I3 and cylinder I8 toward each other to prevent. the introduction of play between these members and their respective balls 22 and 23 or the guide rollers 38 and 31.

It is desirable that the plane dened by the surface of the disc I3 be arranged parallel to the axis of rotation of the cylinder'la in order to maintain a constant distance between the cylinder and the disc. This is accomplished by turning the bolts 4| for adjusting the position of the lower. part I2 of the housing in a manner until the desired relative positions of the disc and cylinder are attained. It is further desirable to have the ball 22 contact the disc I3 along a radial line parallel to the axis of rotation of the cylinder I8. For this purpose, the relationship of the axis of rotation of the disc I8 to that of the cylinder I8 may be varied by adjusting bolts 45 and 48.

In assembling, the part of the casing is held as shown in Fig. 2, the balls are inserted in the ball carriage to assume their oiset position so the ball 29 engages the cylinder I8 and the guide roller 31, while 4the ball 22 rests between the guide roller 38 and the ball 28. AThe part I2 oi the casing is inserted to engage the bolts 4| and 42 and then closed until the disc I3 engages the t by \the frame `extend along the path of movement of the balls ball 22. Bolt 41 may be adjusted to compress spring 48 to maintain any desired pressure between the parts I| and I2, thereby continuously causing disc I3 and cylinder |8 to exert pressure on-the balls 22 and 23 for maintaining frietionai engagement between the balls and their respective members.

In order to' lock the parts of the casing tozether a spring steel rod 5| is inserted in holes formed in the sides of the part to engage a :urved portion 52 of the part I2 to maintain the edge thereof against the ends of bolts 45 and 48.

Figs. 4 and 5 show a variable speed mechamism in which the input and output shafts are ber 19 and has arms 88 engaging the'threads of the screw 98 for ,moving reared to two input elements of a differential the other input of which, as represented by gear 12, is driven from shaft 18 by gears 14 and 15. The conically-shaped driving member 8| drives `through oii'set balls 11 and 18 to rotate the output cylinder 19 on the shaft 14.

'Ihe gear ratios are preferably' chosen so the two inputs to the differential 1| are driven at the same speed when the balls are positioned midway between the apex and `base of the conical driving member 8|. Under these circumstances the output of the differential is represented by shaft 98 balls are centrally located. When the balls 11 and 18 are displaced along the cone, the-speed of the input gear 12 driven from the balls changes The balls 11 and 18, as may be most clearly,

seen in Fig.,5, are oiset transversely of the axis of rotation of the output cylinder 19, so a` plane through the center-of the ball 11 including the axis of rotation of the driving member 8| is parallel to a plane through the center of ball '18 and including the axis Aof rotation of the cylinder 19. A guide roller 8| is journaled in the frame and positioned to engage ball 11 and maintain itin contact along an element of the conical surface of the driving member 8|.

A second guide roller 82 is carried by a bracket 83 that is pivotally supported on a rod 84 carried 84. The guide rollers 8| andv 82 and are rotatable about axes parallel to the path of movement od the balls. The roller 82 is held in engagement with the ball 18 by the action of a spring 85 on the bracket 88 continuously causing the roller 82 to exert pressure on the ball 18 for maintaining frictional engagement between the balls, the driving member l8| and the driven mem-ber 19.

A .ball carriage -81 is arranged to move the balls radially of the driving member 8| infthe direction of the axis oi' rotation with the driven memand -89 carrying hardsurfaced buttons 9| and 92 for engaging the ball 11 at the poles of its axis of A similar pair of 'buttons 93 and lI|4 engage the bally 18 at the poles of its 'axis of principal rotation.

The ball carriage 8141s supported on a lead screw 98 by rollers 99. 99 and has a wheel III the ball carriage axially of the screw.A A gear |02 is mounted on the shaft with the screw 98 for turning it to translate the ball carriage radially of the driving member in the-direction of the axis of rotation of the driven member 19. An arm |04 on the carriage engages a guide rail |85 to prevent rotation of the carriage about the axis'of the screw 98.

the rotation of which is zero 'when the principal rotation.

.The use of o'ifset balls reduces theb number of' guide rollers required and enables a spring loaded guide roller to continuously exert pressure therevby compensating for wear on the various moving parts.

With this arrangement it is possible to mount the driving cone and the output cylinder in bearings in the same frame. This rigid construction avoids the necessity for adjustments. heretofore necessary, to align the balls and the driving and driven members to engage along a radial line of the driving member. The eoaction ofthe spring-loaded roller and the offset balls wholly compensatesfor wear of the balls and also eliminates the necessity for precisionfitting both in manufacture and maintenance of the equipment. For these reasons, the accuracy of the mechanism is increased, and what is even more important, this increased accuracy is maintained over sustained periodsof operation.

When it is necessary to drive the conical driv-A ing member in one direction only the action of spring 65 may be used to increase the transmitted torque upon an increase in load. By rotating the driving member 6| clockwise, as seen in Fig. 5, the ball 11 tends to wedge between the ball 1l and the driving member. This increases the pressure on the balls and accordingly increases the friction so greater torque may be transmitted.

If the direction of rotation of cone 6| is' reversed, the wedging action is not eflected. However, the friction is not reduced below Aits normal value because any tendency of the ball 11 to move downwardly from the ball- 16 is compensated by spring 65. It will be apparent, therefore. that the offset balls and spring pressed rollers may be used to. vary the friction according to variations in torque as determined by changes in the load on the mechanism. y

Figs. 6 to 9 inclusive show a' modified form of a cone driving mechanismembodying the invention and showing other improvements in the ball carriage which may be used in various types of friction driving mechanisms. L This mechanism is similar to that shown in Figs. 4 and 5, in that a conically-shaped driving member is mounted in bearings ||2 and il! on bracket ||5 carried by frame ||5. The conc isdriven from an input shai'tY ||6 through gear ||1. A gear ||6 also on a shaft ||6 drives one input of a differential N9,

as represented-by gear |2'I'.

The'cone drive engages ball |25 which in turnengages another ball' |25 that drives the output cylinder |26 mounted on shaft |21 rotatably supporting the cylinder |26 in the frame ||5. A gear |26 on thc shaft |21 drives to another gear |26 to rotate a second input as represented by gear III for the differential whereby output shaft lcarrying gear |36 is rotated at a speedv proportional to the difference of the axis of rotation of output cylinder |26. A ball carriage |33 for holding the balls |25 and in position is supported by rollers III, |25 on a lead screw and has a wheel |62 adapted to engage the threads of the screw for moving the balls radially of the cone drive ||I in the direction of the axis of rotation for output cylinder |26. An arm carries a roller |46 engaging a guide rail |41 to prevent rotation of the ball carriage about the longitudinal axis of lead screw MI.

As previously described, rollers or buttons, at the poles of the axes of normal rotation for the respective balls cause considerable wear of the balls, particularly when the mechanism is driven ycontinuously for any one translatory position of These angularly disposed axes for the rollers |5| and |52 are preferably contained in a plane through the center of the ball |25 that is perpendicular to the plane defined ly the center of the ball and its points of contact.

4A bellcrank lever |55'is pivotally mounted at |56 on` the ball carriage and basan arm |51 carrying a second pair of rollers |56 and |55 angularly disposed at angles of approximately 45 engaging the ball |25 on opposite sides of the plane defined by the center of the ball |25 and its points of contact with the ball |26 and the output cylinder |26. Preferably the axes of rotation of the rollers |55 and |58 are also contained in a plane through the center 0f the ball that is perpendicular to the plane defined by the center of the ball and its points of contact.

Another arm |5| of the bellcrank lever |55 is connected by a. bolt |62 and spring |53 for continuously exerting pressure through thelever |55 and the rollers |58 and |58 to force the ball |25 into engagement with ball |24 and cylinder |25.

. for maintaining frictional engagement between the balls and the respective members.

-The use of the angularly disposed rollers together with the oil'set of the center of the 4balls transversely of the axis of rotation of the output cylinder |26 reduces the wear on` the balls and continuously compensates by the pressure of spring |63 for any wear in the mechanism. This arrangement further simplifies assembly oi' the mechanism by avoiding the precisionit between the balls and the guide rollers as well as eliminating buttons or rollers at the poles of the balls.

With the angnlarly disposed rollers, it is necessary only to insert the balls in the carriage and compress the spring |62 by bolt |62 until the balls are forced into position between the driving cone and the output cylinder |26.

f Although the guide rollers are preferably arranged at angles of 45 on-oppoiste-sides of the planes' defined by the centers of thev balls and their respective points of contact, it should be apparent. that comparable results may be obtained by arranging these rollers at any angle to act on opposite sides of the balls for maintaining them in their respective positions.

The ball |25, as shown most clearly in Fig. 'l is retained in position by the action of forces from three directions. namely, the pair of guide rollers |5| and |52, the driving cone and the ball |25. Similarly, forces from three direc,

tions maintain the ball |25 in position, as represented by the pair of guide rollers |58 and |59, the ball |24 and the output cylinder |26. l

'I'he arrangement of the guide rollers |58 and |58 in the bellcrank lever |55 on the ball carriage |38 to apply the pressure from spring |63 continuously onthe ball |25 avoids the necessity for providing spring pressure between the driving and driven members. Therefore, Yboth of these members may be rigidly supported inthe frame I to provide a sturdier structure and avoid precision iitting during assembly of the mechanism. If the driving cone and the driven mem-ber are arranged in their approximately correct lpositions, any slight diierences are automatically compensated when the balls are inserted, since the action of pressure from spring |53 automatically causes the balls to assume positions for accurately transmitting motion from the driving member to the driven member.

Since many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely diierent embodiments of thisinvention could be made without departing from they scope thereof,

it is intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying and rollers for retaining said balls with their centers driving memberto said driven member, a pair of guide rollers, one engaging each of said balls for retaining said balls with their centers offset transversely of said axis, and resilient means exerting pressure tending to move the two parts of said casing together about said fulcrum jointto cause said members to exert pressure on said balls for maintaining frictional driving engagement between said balls and said members.

3. A variable speed mechanism -comprisin-g a two-part casing having a fulcrum joint at onev side, a rotary driving member carried by one of said parts, .a driven member supported in the other of said .parts for rotation about an axis, a pair of balls for transmitting motion from said driving member to said driven member, guide rollers for retaining said balls with their centersoffset transversely of -said axis, resilient means exertingpressure tending to move the two parts of said casing together to cause said members to exert pressure on said balls for maintaining frictional driving engagement between said balls and said members, and means cooperating with said fulcrum joint to adjust the relative positions of the parts of said casing for correcting the alignment of said members.

4. A variable speed mechanism comprising a bipartite casing,v a driving discy iournalled in one part Vof the casing and a. driven roller journalled in the other, a movable ball carriage, a pair of motion transmitting balls carried thereby,

the balls being so disposed that a common' center,

line thereof forms an acute yangle th the disc. a guide roller disposed in the casing in engagement with one of the balls and parallel to the path of the ball carriage for guiding said ball along a diameter of the disc and means for detachably coupling one part of the casing to the y other including means for adjusting the firstmentioned part of the casing to align the center of the disc with the path of the ball in engagement therewith.Y

5. A variable speed mechanism comprising a bipartite casing, a driving disc journalled in one part of the casing and a driven roller journalled in the other, a movable ball carriage, a pair of cooperating motion transmitting balls carried in staggered relation thereby respectively in fric- 6. A variable speed mechanism comprising ay bipartite casing, a driving disc journalled in one part of the casing, a driven roller journalled in the other, a movable ball carriage. a pair of cooperating motion transmitting, balls carried instaggered relation thereby respectively in frictional engagement with the disc and roller, adjustable bolt means carried by one part of the casing for positioning the disc with respect to the balls and forming a pivotal connection between corresponding sides of the respective parts of the casing, guide rollers, one for each ball disposed within the casing, adjustable spring means connecting the respective parts of the casing tending to hold the same together and to turn the same on the adjustable bolt means to press the balls between the disc and driven roller, the balls being respectively in rolling engagement with the guide roller associated therewith.

7. A variable speed mechanism comprising a bipartite casing, a driving disc journalled in one part of the casing and a driven roller journalled in the other, a movable ball carriage, a Ipair of cooperating motion transmitting balls carried in staggered Vrelation thereby respectively in frictional engagement with the disc and roller, means for fastening one part of the casing to the other,

said fastening means including means for posi tioningthe disc to align a diameter of same with thepath of the ball engaged thereby, and further fastening means for the parts including a spring effective to press the balls between the dise and roller.

8. A variable speed mechanism comprising a separable bipartite casing, a driving disc journalled in'one part of the casing and a driven roller journalled in the other, a movable ball carriage,V

a pair of motion transmittingballs carried thereby, the balls being so disposed that a common center line thereof forms an acute angle with the surface of the disc, a pair of guide rollers journalled in the last-mentioned part of the casing disposed respectively in engagement with one of the balls and on opposite sides of the ball cerriage, means far detachably coupling one part of the casing with the other adjustable to align the center of the disc with the path of the ball engaged thereby and further detachable coupling means for the parts of the casing including a spring tending to press the parts together and thereby pressing the balls between the disc and driven roller.

' CHARLES H.'RICHARDSON.

REFERENCES crren The following references are of record in the me of this patent:

Number l0 Number France May 14, 1920 

